Your ideal body weight shouldn’t be dictated by your pants size, but rather by your energy levels, and general health. A balanced diet, as well as how at ease you feel about the way you look, is a much better bar to measure against when it comes to weight loss.
Do you remember the last time you felt good about your body and health? Well, follow these tips and get back to that happy place – and ideal weight.
Drink fluids
If we are thirsty, we often confuse it with needing to fill our bellies. When the body feels dehydrated it ‘panics’ and slows everything down – including our digestion, which can make it difficult to shift the kilos. Aim to drink two litres of water a day; if you can’t manage that, supplement some of your water intake with water- and nutrient-rich fruit and vegetables. Drinking enough water will also clear your skin and help you lose weight.
Go easy on insulin
By eating throughout the day – a little snack here and a handful of something there – you are sending insulin, a fat-storage hormone, into your bloodstream, making weight loss all the more difficult. Try eating three full, balanced meals a day with no snacks and see if you notice the difference.
Avoid stress
Stress releases the hormone cortisol, which alerts the body to danger (the same as when you’re dehydrated) and puts your body into fight or flight mode. This can cause inflammation and fat to store around your middle. By eating anti-inflammatory foods, such as red grapes (they contain resveratrol) and drinking green tea, you’ll stop unwanted fat making your waist its home.
Sleep is essential
Poor sleep causes stress and also affects our appetite hormones, leptin and ghrelin. After a restless night leptin, the hormone that makes us feel full decreases, while ghrelin, which ups our appetite, increases. To help you nod off, have an Epsom salts bath – the salts are rich in magnesium, which aids relaxation and stress-reduction.
Happy weight equals best weight
Your ideal weight is a place where you are comfortable, healthy and happy. It may not necessarily be your slimmest, but if you have sustained energy levels and feel good overall – it’s okay!
DISCLAIMER: Before starting any diet, you should speak to your doctor. You must not rely on the information on this website/newsletter as an alternative to medical advice from your doctor or other professional healthcare provider.
